Skipole construction



7 Oct. 16, 1945. R. c. TAFT Y 2,387,194 SKITOLE conswmrcflqu I FiledJan. 12, 1943 INVENTGRJ a w T Patented Oct. 16, 1945 a'llhe AmericanFork 8;: HoeCompany, Cleveland,

fnhio acorporation of Ohio -Applicaition 'January 12-, 1943,-Serial -No.472,146.

1 Claim. (c1.2s0-"1'1.37)

My invention relates to ski poles and relates more particularly to thering Shaped snow shoe usually mounted thereon.

It is an object of my invention to provide a ski ring of the typereferred to which can be readily and easily assembled.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ski ring of the typereferred to which will be light in weight and yet sturdy and strong.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ski ring of the typereferred to which may be economical in manufacture and efiicient in use.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be moreapparent from the following description and drawing, in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing anillustrative embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the ring forming member of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the radial thongs;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the clip members;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing the ring and thong assembly.

The ski pole shown in the attached drawing comprises a shaft I and V isprovided with a loop formed from a leather strap 2 secured to the upperend of said shaft, said loop being adapted for use as a handle, I Thecustomary spike 3 is secured tothe shaft at its lowerend and spacedtherefrom 0n the lower end portion of the shaft a preferablyfiat skiring or snow shoe 4 is secured to the shaft, said ring surrounding thesaid shaft portion. J I,

The ring or shoe 4 is preferably formed from two or more convolutions ofa spirallywound strip of wood, the convolutions being glued or otherwisesecured together. The resulting ring serves as a point of attachment fora plurality of thongs 6, preferably three in number, which are formed ofbuckskin, rawhide or the like. The thongs 6 are preferably formed fromrectangular flat strips of leather and are provided with a narrow slit 1of considerable length. Said thongs are placed on top of each other andsecured by means of clips 8 at their opposite ends to the ring member 4,said straps being so disposed as to be secured at approximately equallyspaced intervals about the ring and to overlap each other at theircenter portions thus forming sufficient surface area to provide thenecessary grip on the surface of the snow.

The clip members 8 are generally rectangular in form with slightlyrounded end portions and are provided with apertures 9-9 at oppositeends thereof, said apertures corresponding to apertures Ill-l0 in thethong members 66.

In securing the thong members 6 to the ring 4, the clip is folded overthe ring and a rivet II is projected through the then aligned apertures9-I09. The two reaches of the clip member 8 are then bent inwardly orcrimped, as at 8'-8,

intermediate the ring engaging portion l2 and the thong engagingportions l3. This crimping is preferably performed chiefly on themarginal edges of the clip, thus producing a permanent distortion,serving to further encircle and clamp the convolutions of the ring, andto shorten the clip reaches and thus tension the thong.

It is to be noted that said secure fastening is accomplished withoutweakening the ring member in any way as by the projection of pins, etc.,therethrough. Further, it has been found that such a constructionfurnishes a light weight ring having yieldable cross thongs and a rigidfastening.

The ski pole I, as illustrated, is projected through the slits I of thecross thongs and fastened to the thong members 6 by means of laces oradditional strap members I4, as shown, to securely anchor the thongsagainst displacement.

The clip members 8 further act, as reinforcing members for the lightweight ring and inasmuch as these are preferably formed of a lightweight metal do not unduly increase the weight thereof. The crimpedportions 8-8' of the clip members moreover restrict the thongs fromlateral movement as a portion thereof is wedged within the crimpedportion of the clips 8. The remaining portions of the thong members 6are yieldable, however, in the sense that the same may be easily securedto the shaft by the straps I4 and also have a certain resiliency uponcontact with ice or snow, as may be desired.

While Ihave described my invention in connection; with a preferredembodiment thereof, it is to be understood that numerous and extensivedepartures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of myinvention and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A ski ring comprising in combination a light weight substantially flatring member consisting of a plurality of convolutions of arelativelythin strip of wood or light flexible or like indenturablematerial of substantially equal width with the contacting faces ofadjacent convolutions adheplurality of substantially fiat cross membersof substantially flexible material, said cross members being of a lesserlength than the inner diameter of the ring member, a plurality ofsubstantially flat clip members, each said clip member composed of aninitially flat strip of bendable sheet metal medially so bent as to forma loop, the inner surface of "the yoke thereof being adapted tofittheperipheral surface of the ring and the side arms thereof adjacent saidyoke adapted to tightly embrace the upper and lower planar surfaces ofthe ring, and the ends of said arms being perforated for the receptionof rivets or the like projected throughan end of one of said crossmembers with said cross member end interposed between the clip ends,both arms of each said clip member in place to interconnect a.

cross member with said ring being distorted by a crimping operation tosharply deflect the portion of each said arm disposed between said ringand the adjacent cross member end inwardly to substantially contactinglyembrace the intraperipheral surface of the ring portions of saidinwardly bent arms and sufficiently distorted outwardly therefrom astoindenture said clip end portions and in turn the cross members heldtherebetween, the deformation and indenturing of said clip arms soshortening the length of said arms as to cause said thereby shortenedclip armsoperating through said rivet to draw said cross members taut,said cross members extending diametrically in centrally superposedrelation across the ring and the indenturing of said clip armspreventing sliding displacement of said clip members on said ring.

RAYMOND C. TAF'I.

